Question of the Day

Did illegal voters swing any congressional races?

Anthrax treatment enters third dayPoisonous gas was pumped for a third day into the Hart Senate Office Building to kill trace amounts of anthrax spores in the heating and ventilation system."Everything is just moving along, and it's simply a matter of doing engineering and mechanical things to keep it working right," Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Jennifer Browne said yesterday.The southeast quadrant of the building tested positive for anthrax spores after an earlier fumigation effort. The building has been closed since Oct. 17.Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, South Dakota Democrat, said on NBC's "Meet the Press" yesterday that "there is a reasonable possibility that we'll see that the building open sometime in the early part of next month, perhaps as early as next week."

Bloomberg chooses new fire commissionerNEW YORK Mayor-elect Michael R. Bloomberg yesterday named Nicholas Scoppetta as commissioner of the fire department, which was devastated by the loss of 343 firefighters on September 11.Mr. Scoppetta served as commissioner of the Administration for Children's Services in Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani's administration. He replaces Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen.Mr. Scoppetta, 69, had no fire department experience, but Mr. Bloomberg said he was selected for his background in "management and building."

False gun scare idles Honolulu airportHONOLULU Officials shut down Honolulu's airport for nearly two hours yesterday after security agents said a man with an object resembling a gun in his carry-on bag had passed undetected through an X-ray checkpoint.The airport's terminals were closed shortly after 9 a.m., state transportation department spokeswoman Marilyn Kali said. The terminals reopened at 10:55 a.m. after security agents found the man and determined he did not have a gun.Authorities now believe the X-ray machine displayed a standard test image showing a make-believe gun, which is used to train baggage screeners, said Federal Aviation Administration security manager Al Igor.The screener, who did not react to the image fast enough, and a supervisor have been suspended, Mr. Igor said.

Vets try technology to save tiger cubGAINESVILLE, Fla. University of Florida veterinarians are using human medical technology to try to save a 3-month-old tiger cub mauled by another tiger.The cub had its flank ripped off and suffered other injuries two months ago after it fell into an adjoining cage at a private veterinary facility for big cats and was attacked by an adult tiger.Veterinarians had to amputate the cub's tail and ears, do a skin graft and give it multiple stitches. Doctors say the cub is showing signs of progress.

New Year's Eve sky to show brightest JupiterMIAMI Revelers ringing in the new year under a clear sky tonight will be treated to a rare sight alongside the fireworks: Jupiter at its closest and brightest.The largest planet in the solar system will be directly overhead at midnight, astronomer Jack Horkheimer says. The ringed planet Saturn also will be visible, as will the almost-full moon. Jupiter will be at its brightest illumination because it is now directly opposite the sun as seen from Earth.The last time the gaseous planet with the large red spot was directly opposite the sun and overhead at midnight on New Year's Eve was in 1752, and the next time will be in 2084.